Authors Note: I have a Secret Santa fic to write and an enormous test on Thursday that I need to study for, but to hell with them both. As per usual: No beta's, less than 24 hours to write it, but this time I don't have a list to go on for prompts. We'll see how that works.

Thanks for reading!

Sirius was bent over, his shoulders heaving. Lily thought he might be crying.

She had no idea what had gotten into her head whatsoever- Sirius Black didn't cry. He stood proud and strong with his robes billowing and his arms crossed until things got too bad, and even then he refused to show much emotion. Then, of course, he would punch.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked, timid as she approached him. "I thought that maybe-"

Sirius held up a finger and Lily shifted her weight so her hip jutted to the left and the wind brushed against her thick tights that kept her legs from remaining bare underneath the charcoal dress that matched the sky.

"Listen, Black, I know you don't like me as much as James wants but for God's sake, tell me what's wrong."

He looked up at her, shaking. Laughter rang through his voice. "Did you think I was crying, Evans? Merlin, I didn't you were that soft."

"I'm not soft!" Lily stamped her foot and curled her hands into fists because, damn it, even if she looked like a first year in an argument, Lily Evans was not soft.

He was laughing again, standing up straight and pushing his hair out of his face with one hand. His eyes almost seemed glassy and their ashy colour added to the illusion.

"If that's what you insist upon," He cleared his throat and smirked, glancing down. Lily flinched when something wet bumped against her balled up hand.

She saw what Sirius had been laughing at.

A stag, its large black eyes empty of anything but what one could only assume was anger, bumped its head against her again. Bells around its neck jingled and ornaments hung from its antlers, reflecting Lily's image back towards herself when she looked down.

"Oh, that's…"

"Amazing? Brilliant? It was all Peter's idea, though I'm the one who made sure he was stuck like this for a while. I told him Remus had an emergency and if he changes back now, somebody'll see."

"You're a horrible human being."

"You're a terrible girlfriend."

The deer bleated, shaking its head so the bells rattled incessantly.

"Fine, I'm sorry," Sirius grinned. "She's not too bad."

It looked at Lily.

"You expect me to-? No way, I can't let him win."

"Just do what he wants, Lily. The poor bloke's stuck looking like a reindeer for the better part of another hour."

"I'm sorry, then. Happy, James?"

The stag's head lowered and Lily laughed loudly, clamping her hand over her mouth as Sirius snorted.

I'd like to thank jily4ever for the lovely compliment of the previous chapter. If more of you review, I'll try to put off angst longer. (But we all know I can't go too long without writing angst. All the fluff is suffocating me.)